Those Eyes
by Carrie6
Summary: S/V Romance/attempted action...i kind of know where i want the story to go, but i don't know how long it'll be until i get there. Please read and review (and enjoy)! Chapter 8 is up and it's really long, and hopefully there is some drama/action (i tried)
1. Too Happy

"Sydney, I repeat. Make the switch now! Two guards down. Dixon is opening the gate. Make the switch!" Vaughn shouted into her earpiece.  
  
Beginning to breath heavily, she repeated, "I am satisfied with the merchandise."  
  
"Alright! Hand over the solution!" Dixon barged into courtyard, gun pointed strait at the back of Sydney's head.  
  
She couldn't breathe…how could this have happened? She kept wondering? She knew that her only chance was to expose herself to Dixon, hoping he wouldn't do anything drastic. She had to trust him not to.  
  
"The counterfeit solution Sydney, give him the counterfeit, and we'll deal with Sark later." Vaughn said into her ear.  
  
Sydney slowly turned around, still palming the fake solution in her hand.  
  
Dixon's expression changed, but he was either too stunned to say anything, or chose not to.  
  
"Here is the solution." She said in her thick accent, reaching her hand out to him. "Take it and go."  
  
Dixon grabbed the bottle and backed away looking utterly confused. When he was at the gate he turned and left, shooting an attacking guard on his way out.  
  
Sydney turned back towards Sark who did not look pleased.  
  
"I don't know what it was that you just gave that man, but I am pleased with the solution you gave me, so I'll ask you to leave now." Sark said in an eerily controlled voice. But before Sydney could leave he leaned in closely and added "And if by some unlucky twist of fate we ever meet again, you can guarantee that I won't put up with any of this double merchandise shit."  
  
Sydney just nodded her head and walked out, diamonds in hand.  
  
***  
  
Sydney entered the warehouse and found herself staring at the back of her handler's form. The clicking of her shoes alerted him of her presence, and he turned around, a serious expression on his face.  
  
"Hey." She said softly.  
  
"Hey." He replied.  
  
"Vaughn-"  
  
"Sydney-" They both said at the same time.  
  
"Sorry, you go first," said Sydney.  
  
"Sydney, that was too close. Sark could have killed you, and I still don't know why he didn't. And Dixon is MIA right now and I don't know how we're going to fix that. And then we have to get the liquid back from Sark. Plus- " Vaughn started another sentence, but stopped upon seeing Sydney looking at her hands.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said.  
  
"No, you're right. I don't know how this went so wrong." She continued to look at her hands.  
  
Vaughn sighed, and walked over towards Sydney, who was sitting on a crate.  
  
"Hey," he began softly, sitting down on a crate across from hers. He scooted it closer so that their knees were almost touching. "Hey," he repeated, lifting her chin so that he could look into her eyes. "What I should have said was, you did a great job, and I can't tell you how relieved I am that you're safe."  
  
The sincerity of his words, and the way that he was looking at her with those piercing green eyes filled with concern, relief, and something else, melted Sydney's heart, and confirmed once again her true feelings for him.  
  
"Thanks." She said, smiling softly.  
  
"Why don't you go home for now. I know that you just got in, and you're probably tired." Vaughn said, breaking the moment.  
  
"What about the solution and Dixon, and my counter mission and-" Sydney began.  
  
"Don't worry about it tonight. As far as we know, Dixon is still on a plane, and I don't think that Sark will do anything to the solution right away. Get some sleep, and I'll contact you tomorrow. Okay?"  
  
"Okay." She replied. She began to leave, but she felt his hand on her arm, stopping her.  
  
"Hey, I really am happy that you're okay. It's just that…well, I…." He sighed, contemplating his next words. "I just get a little crazy sometimes, and there were so many close calls, and still so much work to do. I just don't want anything to happen to you." He knew that he was babbling, and that he had revealed too much, but he just didn't want her to think that he didn't care. Or maybe he did.  
  
"It's okay. Thanks. I'm going to go now, I'll see you tomorrow." Sydney turned and left quickly walking out of the warehouse.  
  
Vaughn sat down again and thought about what a fool he'd just made of himself. Whenever he was around her, he just couldn't get out the right words. He hadn't meant to yell at her, or make her feel bad, he was just worried. He knew that he was getting too close to her, and that sooner or later, something was going to happen, or more likely he would do something stupid, to make her run away screaming. He had finally admitted it to himself that what he felt for her was far stronger than attraction. It was adoration, admiration, respect, and most of all love.  
  
***  
  
Sydney sank down into her bed. What was going on with she and Vaughn? Was he trying to tell her something more that that he was just worried about her? That look he gave her…she couldn't get it out of her head. She felt like she was naked with him, like his eyes could see through her, into her soul. She didn't like being so vulnerable. She knew that she loved him, she had admitted that to herself long ago, but did he return her feelings? And if he did, what would happen. They couldn't exactly have a relationship. She was exhausted, and all this worrying was going to drive her mad. She settled into bed, preparing herself to dream about what could have been, if her life wasn't so messed up.  
  
***  
  
It had been two weeks since Sydney's severely flawed mission with Sark, and things seemed to be calming down. Dixon had not said anything to anyone about seeing her there, until he talked to her. He had simply file put in his report that he got the liquid from a member of the Raslak Jihad. Their conversation had gone well, Sydney explaining about her double agent status, and Dixon was now in the process of being reviewed to be an agent for the CIA. Sark still had the solution in his custody, but it would be moving soon. She and Vaughn were still tense, but they had been keeping to business.  
  
***  
  
Sydney walked into the conference room at SD-6 and took her seat, preparing herself to listen to whatever new mission that Sloane had for her.  
  
"Everyone," Sloane began, "I'm afraid I have some bad news. The solutions that we obtained from Sark in Indonesia were counterfeit."  
  
"So what's the plan?" Sydney asked.  
  
"Well, we must get the real solution. We've traced a phone call from Sark confirming that he has the solution at his home. Your mission is to go to Indonesia and get it." Said Slone.  
  
***  
  
"What's my counter mission?" Sydney asked Vaughn, back at the warehouse.  
  
"Well, basically, you'll break into his house, the liquid is in the vault, and SD-6 gave you all the necessary equipment to break into it." Sydney nodded. "All you have to do it switch the liquid with this one," he held up a small vile, same as the one as he had given her before, "and bring the real solution back to the CIA. It should be easier to make the switch now that Dixon is a double." Vaughn reasoned.  
  
"Okay." Said Sydney. "I better get going."  
  
"Yeah, okay…Wait, actually, I have something for you." Vaughn turned to get something out of his brief case. He pulled out a sealed brown envelope and handed it to Sydney. "This is all that I could get on your mother. As I told you before, all of her files are sealed, but I managed to get these. Just some information that the CIA had on her death, and relationship with your father." Vaughn said. "I know it's not much, but it's all I could get. I'm trying, but it's hard to get things like this."  
  
"I know, thank you, so much. You don't know how much I appreciate anything that gets me a step closer to my mother." Said Sydney, smiling sincerely.  
  
"I just…I just don't think that it's a good idea for you to be asking favors of Sloane." Vaughn said quickly.  
  
Sydney looked up. "What?" she asked.  
  
"I just don't think that you should be asking Sloane for information on your mother. He could give you false information, and you never know when this could come back to haunt you. Sometime, sooner or later, he's going to want you to return the favor, and you'll have no option but to oblige." Vaughn was adamantly avoiding eye contact, and was obviously very uncomfortable telling this to Sydney.  
  
Sydney didn't know whether or not she should punch him or hug him. On the one hand, he was acting like her handler, telling her wisely not to associate with the bad guys, but he was also acting like her friend, warning her of the dangers of asking favors of your enemy.  
  
She decided to go with the latter, and she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you." She whispered.  
  
Vaughn was so taken aback, that it took him a minute to put his arms around her. "You're welcome, but for what?" he asked.  
  
"For telling me exactly what I needed to hear. I know that I can't trust Slone," she began, slowly pulling back, but not losing all contact. "I just really want to find my mother. I need to, and I just didn't see any other options. But I know that I have to talk to him, and somehow find a way to convince him that I don't want to find her." Sydney said sadly, now completely pulled away from Vaughn's embrace.  
  
"Sydney, we will find her. I promise that you will, and I'll do everything in my power to help you." He said  
  
Sydney's eyes started to well, and soon she found herself back in Vaughn's strong arms, his hands rubbing her back in soothing circles. She had never been so grateful to have him in her life as she did at that moment. She started to pull back and she looked up into his eyes. His arms were still around her back, and they were locked in each other's gaze, not able to break that contact. Slowly Sydney found herself leaning in towards him, her lips lightly brushing against his. She leaned back again, not sure what to do. The turmoil that she felt was mirrored back in his eyes. Vaughn leaned forward and tentatively pressed his lips against hers. This kiss was fuller, more complete, gentle, but filled with passion. Sydney leaned into him, and opened her mouth into the kiss, allowing his tongue the entry that it had sought. The kiss became more intense, and Sydney brought her hands up to the back of his head, and toyed with they hairs at the back of his neck. After what seemed like an eternity, they pulled back.  
  
Sydney, slowly opened her eyes, and found she staring into those intense green eyes. Only now they seemed to be alive. She slowly backed out of his embrace and smiled.  
  
"I guess I should go now." She said, still smiling.  
  
"Uh..Yeah." said Vaughn, beginning to smile as well.  
  
Sydney turned around and walked out the door, bringing her fingers to her lips and touching them, where only moments ago, his had been. Never in her life did she think she would ever get the chance to kiss him, or the courage. She had never been kissed like that before. He held her with so much passion, yet so much tenderness, a mixture of things that she didn't expect from him. But his eyes, when she'd looked at them, they were dancing, and the emotion that she saw there was unbelievable. She walked back to her car, and got in. She didn't know what would happen now, but she was too happy to care. 


	2. Confessions

Chapter 2  
  
A/N: I know that there wasn't any note on the last one, but it was my first one and I forgot, so whatever….I didn't really have much to say anyway. I don't know if anyone is reading this fic, but I like writing it, whether people are reading it or not, but I would really appreciate reviews. Thanks!!  
  
  
  
"What the hell are you so happy about?" Weiss asked, walking into his office.  
  
"Huh? What?" Vaughn asked, being broken out of his reverie. "Nothing."  
  
"Then wipe that look off your face, you look like you just won a trip to Disney Land or something." Weiss attempted a joke. When he didn't get a reply, he tried again to pull his friend out of his trance. "Hello?"  
  
"Huh?" Vaughn asked again.  
  
"Man, what's up with you?"  
  
"Nothing, I told you. Don't you have any work you could do?" Vaughn didn't want his daydreams interrupted by Weiss, as good natured as his comments were.  
  
"Is this about Sydney? Did something happen?" He asked quietly.  
  
"What? No!" Vaughn said a little too quickly. He could tell that Weiss wasn't buying, so he got up from his desk and closed the door to his office. When he turned back around, he blurted, "Sydney kissed me."  
  
"Whoa, if that doesn't say 'too emotionally attached' I don't know what does." Weiss cracked.  
  
"Shut up. This is serious. I don't know what I'm going to do." Vaughn said, his happiness momentarily subdued by worry.  
  
"Have you talked to her about it?" Weiss asked.  
  
"No, I haven't seen her since it happened."  
  
"What exactly did happen?"  
  
"I told you, she kissed me. Then I kissed her. I don't know what happens next though. I mean, well, nothing can happen. I'm her handler, she's my agent. She works for SD-6. They'd kill her if anything happened." Vaughn said more to himself than to Weiss.  
  
"Look, man, it's obvious you're in love with her, I mean you babble on about her everyday, but you're right. Nothing can happen. Especially while SD-6 is still up and running. It's just too dangerous." Weiss said logically.  
  
He looked over at Vaughn and could tell that he was in great turmoil. "Look, just talk to her. If it's really meant to be, it can wait."  
  
"Yeah, thanks."  
  
"I'll see you later." Weiss said, walking out of Vaughn's office. Vaughn sat down in his chair. He didn't know how he was going to handle this. He still didn't even really know what the kiss meant. Was it just a fluke, was she just being emotional, or did she really return his feelings? Should he confess his feelings for her? No, that wasn't a good idea. What if she really didn't have feelings for him? No, that can't be right either. That kiss was way too intense not to have real emotion behind it. He knew that he had to talk to Sydney. Find out what she really thought. She'd be coming home from her mission soon; he'd talk to her during the debriefing.  
  
***  
  
Sydney ran through the halls of the Sark mansion. Two, no three guards were gaining speed behind her. She saw the vent up ahead of her, above the door. She leapt up, grabbing hold of pipe above her head and launched herself through the grate and into the vent. She could hear the guards behind her, radioing for backup as she approached the end of the vent leading to the outside. She kicked open the vent and jumped down onto the top of the van that she would be riding into the airport in. She slid down the side of the van and entered it.  
  
"Got the solution?" Dixon asked.  
  
"Yeah. Lets go, there are more guards coming." Sydney replied breathlessly.  
  
Dixon pulled out of the driveway as more guards shot at the van.  
  
***  
  
On the plane ride home, all Sydney could think about was Vaughn, and that kiss. What was going to happen? That was the question she kept asking herself. What did he want? Did he feel about her like she felt about him? After the original Euphoria that came after the kiss, these questions had plagued her.  
  
"What is it?" Dixon asked, breaking her train of thought.  
  
"What's what?" Sydney asked.  
  
"You look troubled. Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just worried that Sloane will get suspicious." Sydney answered.  
  
"If you say so.  
  
***  
  
Sydney walked into the warehouse, still unsure of what she was going to say to Vaughn. She walked into their little corner, and found herself looking at the back of his frame. She admired his broad shoulders and tall form. She coughed quietly, and he turned around.  
  
"Hey." He said.  
  
"Hey." She replied.  
  
"So, uh, how did the mission go?"  
  
"Well, we gave the liquid to Sloane, and I don't think that he suspects anything."  
  
"Good, that's good." Vaughn said. He couldn't believe how awkward this was.  
  
"Is the real liquid okay? I mean, has it been tested?" Sydney asked.  
  
"Yeah, it's fine, as far as we can tell."  
  
The tension in the room was palpable. Neither knew what to say.  
  
"Um, look Sydney," Vaughn began. "I don't really know what you're thinking, but about the other night…" he drifted off.  
  
"Yeah, I thought we should talk about that." Sydney replied softly. Still, neither knew what to say. "I don't really think that there is protocol for this kind of situation." She attempted lightly.  
  
"I think that we're a little beyond protocol." Vaughn said, and he smiled.  
  
That smile absolutely melted Sydney, and she knew what she had to do. "Look," she started. "I'm not really sure what comes next, but I do know," she paused, "that I have feelings for you." She finished quickly, looking down.  
  
Vaughn was stunned. He had longed to hear her say those words, or something like them, for so long, and he couldn't really believe that he'd heard them. He saw her looking down, and he knew that he had to move quickly before she took her words back.  
  
When Vaughn didn't reply, she backed down. "I really just said something stupid didn't I?" she attempted, knowing that there was no way to get out of the situation. She began to look up, expecting Vaughn to be horrified. She was positive that she had read the situation all wrong. But when she looked up he had come up so that their faces were just inches apart.  
  
"No," he said. "You definitely didn't say anything stupid. You just said something that I was too afraid to say."  
  
"Really?" she asked tentatively.  
  
"Really." He confirmed. He leaned in, closing the space between them, and placing his lips on hers. He reached up and placed a hand on her cheek, and deepened the kiss. She put her hands around his back, bringing him flush against her. The kiss was intense, passionate, with all of the emotion of their first, but none of the resistance or hesitancy. When they finally broke for air they leaned up against each other, catching their breath.  
  
"So what now?" Sydney asked.  
  
"I have absolutely no idea." Vaughn said, breaking into a smile. "And right now, I couldn't possibly care." He said, leaning in to kiss her again. They kissed passionately for what seemed like an eternity. Neither of them could actually believe what they were doing, that their fantasies were finally reality. They broke apart again, knowing that they'd have to have a serious conversation before things went any farther.  
  
"How can this ever work?" Sydney asked.  
  
"I don't know. But I know that I want it to." Vaughn replied.  
  
"Me too. I don't think that I can see you, knowing what it's like to kiss you, and not being able to do it." As she said this, she leaned in again and gave him a short but satisfying kiss.  
  
"I could get addicted to this." Vaughn said.  
  
"I know, me too." Sydney agreed. "We have to make this work."  
  
"We will, don't worry. As long as no one finds out, and our attitudes don't change towards each other outside this warehouse, we'll be fine." Vaughn tried to be reassuring, but he knew how hard that would be.  
  
"Okay." Sydney said hesitantly.  
  
"Hey," He tipped up her chin, like he had done before. "I promise, we'll make this work."  
  
His eyes looked straight into hers, and they were so sure, so full of emotion, that in that moment, she would believe everything that he told her.  
  
"I know, we will." She said. "I should go though."  
  
"Yeah, you probably should. I'll call you later?" Vaughn asked.  
  
"Like you even need to ask." Replied Sydney, giving him another kiss, not wanting their moment to end.  
  
"Bye." She said.  
  
"Bye."  
  
Sydney walked out of the warehouse, and she could not remember ever being happier in her life. She had never looked forward to the words 'Joey's Pizza' so much.  
  
  
  
To be continued…  
  
  
  
Please review guys…just let me know, what ever you think. If you have long comments or suggestions I am totally open to them and willing to change things to make it better. So you can email me at CaReYbEaRy2000@aol.com. I wasn't really sure about this part, so I really want suggestions. Thanks! 


	3. Warehouse

A/N: Yay!! Reviews!! I wasn't planning on writing anymore for a while, but I got so pumped up by my reviews—you guys rule! Thanks so much for all your kind words, and even the critical reviews were helpful! I don't really know what I'm going to write, but I'm going to try. Thanks for all your support!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Joey's Pizza."  
  
"Wrong number." Sydney replied lazily into the phone. She dragged herself out of bed and into the bathroom to get ready. She was not looking forward to this day. She had a quick meeting with Vaughn, and then she was off to Credit Dauphin, where Sloane was going to be expecting an explanation for why he still did not have the real liquid. The only thing that would get her through this day was seeing Vaughn. Ever since their confessions the previous day, she couldn't get him off her mind. Everything she tried to do, he was in her thoughts. It made her sick to think about all the things that she wanted to do with him that she never could, but every negative thought that she had, she would feel his strong arms and reassuring smile, telling her that everything would work out.  
  
***  
  
Vaughn waited in the warehouse for Sydney, looking at his watch every five seconds. He couldn't wait to see her. He dreamt about her every night, and all he could concentrate on at work was her face, but now that he knew she felt the same way about him, it was worse. Now all of these things that he had dreamt about actually had the possibility of coming true. The only question in his mind was were they strong enough to make it through all of the obstacles that were standing in their way? He was pretty sure that his love for her was strong enough, but were her feelings as powerful as his?  
  
"Hey." Sydney said, snapping him out of his reverie. He turned around and took her in. Even in a plain navy blue suit, she looked stunning.  
  
"Hey." He replied as he strode over to her. He walked up to her, wanting nothing more than to kiss her, but he didn't know if it would be appropriate, or if they should only talk about work.  
  
Sydney saw his hesitation, and was equally nervous, but she didn't care, because she knew that she had to kiss him. She closed the distance between them and leaned into his lips placing a light kiss on them. She began to pull away, but he pulled her back to him, placing a gentle kiss on her lips.  
  
"I didn't know if I was allowed to do that or not." He said quietly, still holding her in his arms.  
  
"I didn't know either, but I had to do it. Now that I know what it's like to kiss you, how can I not?" Sydney asked playfully.  
  
Vaughn loved seeing this side of her. She was so open and honest, and even though she still had the weight of the world on her shoulders, she was letting him hold half of it.  
  
"So, business?" Sydney asked.  
  
"Yeah, that would probably be a good idea." Vaughn replied, cracking a smile. They both sat down on crates, side by side.  
  
"So what am I going to tell Sloane?" Sydney asked. "I know he's going to know it's fake by now."  
  
"You just have to convince him that this is the one that was in the safe, and that Sark is probably hiding the other one some place else." Vaughn replied.  
  
"What about the intercepted phone calls?"  
  
"Just tell him that you think Sark knows that SD-6 or others are tapping his calls and it was a set up. Make sure that you tell him how well prepared they were for an attack, and emphasize the number of guards or anything else you noticed, don't be afraid to exaggerate."  
  
"Do you think that he's going to send me on other missions to find the 'real' solution?"  
  
"Almost definitely. He won't rest until he finds it. Since the CIA has the real solution, we'll use these missions as check ups for wherever he sends you. If he has reason enough to suspect that someone has the liquid, than that's reason enough for us to want you to check it out."  
  
"Okay, I'll let you know how it goes." Sydney said. She looked down, pretending to examine her hands.  
  
"Okay." Vaughn answered. There was an awkward silence, neither knowing what to do now that they were in this new level of their relationship. Vaughn took a chance. "Sydney?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah?" she looked up.  
  
"Can I kiss you again?" Vaughn almost whispered, looking up.  
  
Sydney just smiled and nodded her head slightly, leaning in to capture his lips in a soft kiss. She intended it just to be a short goodbye kiss, but it soon intensified. Vaughn reached out to her, wrapping his arms around her back, and pulling her toward him. She lifted her arms, sliding them around his neck, trying to get as close to him as possible. They both pulled back, surprised at the intensity of a once intended short kiss, only this time, the awkwardness was gone. Sydney stood up, pulling Vaughn up with her.  
  
"So I guess I'll see you later?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah. Good luck with Sloane."  
  
"Thanks." She started to walk away, but then stopped, and walked back towards him. She reached her hands behind his head and pulled him towards her, crashing her lips onto his before pulling back.  
  
"Bye." She whispered, and then walked away, out of the warehouse.  
  
Vaughn stood there dumbfounded, catching his breath and watched her walk away. He couldn't believe that he was actually in a relationship with her. The worry was still there in the back of his mind, but it was dull, clouded over with happiness.  
  
***  
  
Sydney walked back into the warehouse later that day, still wearing the smile that she walked out with.  
  
She saw Vaughn already there, as usual, but he looked like he had had a hard day at work. He wasn't wearing his usual coat, and his tie was slightly undone. He was sitting on a crate, looking over some papers, and hadn't heard her come in. This was nice, because this way she got to look at him without him noticing.  
  
Vaughn looked up at her, having almost sensed her presence, and stared at her in appreciation. He started at her feet, working his way up her legs. Her skirt was not as strait as it was this morning, having worn it all day, it swayed loosely above her knees. Her suit jacket was unbuttoned, and he could have sworn that there were more buttons buttoned when he'd seen her earlier. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, and there were strands hanging around her face that were begging him to tuck them behind her ear. He realized that he was staring, and got up, blushing slightly, he hoped that Sydney wouldn't notice.  
  
She did. She liked the feeling that he was looking at her, and she strode up to him, looking straight into his eyes. They were filled with desire, and she knew that hers probably mirrored them.  
  
Vaughn stood up, and walked the rest of the distance, reaching out to her, and tucking a fallen strand of hair behind her ear, unable to resist the urge. He leaned into her slowly and kissed her thoroughly, not holding back any of his desire. She kissed him back, opening her mouth to accept his kiss. His hands were at the small of her back, trying to get her closer to him, trying to absorb her into him. They finally had to break for air, and they pulled away from the kiss, but still held each other.  
  
"God I missed you." Vaughn breathed.  
  
"Not as much as I missed you." Sydney replied. "At this rate, we're never going to get any work done."  
  
"I don't care." Vaughn said as he moved to kiss her neck, causing Sydney to sigh.  
  
"We can't do this right now." Sydney argued half-heartedly.  
  
"I know." Vaughn replied, continuing to kiss her, moving his way to her collarbone.  
  
Finally Sydney gathered enough control to pull his head away from her, giving him a serious look. He took the hint, and sat down on a crate, pulling her down on the crate next to him. He leaned back against the piles of boxes behind him, and tried to calm himself.  
  
"So what happened with Sloane?" he asked, looking over at her.  
  
"Well," she began, but then started to fiddle with her crate.  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked.  
  
She continued to fiddle with her crate, and then moved it so that it was right up against his. "You were to far away." She answered smiling.  
  
"Oh." He said, returning her smile.  
  
"Well, as we thought, Sloane had already found out that the liquid was counterfeit, and was not too pleased. He already has a lead on where he thinks it might be, so he's sending me on a mission to go get it."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Islamabad. He thinks that a man named Iban Hortzani has the solution, he is a contact of 'The Man.'"  
  
"Okay, this will be good. Is there a safe or something where he thinks the liquid is?"  
  
"Yeah, there is a basement vault."  
  
"Okay, we'll just treat this as an investigative mission to check up on Hortzani, take digital pictures of whatever is in the vault. We think that he may be smuggling oil out of the country so if you see any documents that indicate them take pictures of them. Is Dixon going with you?"  
  
"No, actually my dad is." Sydney said.  
  
"Your dad? Why not Dixon or another agent?"  
  
"Sloane didn't tell me, but I think he may suspect Dixon of having something to do with the fake liquids so he's keeping Dixon behind to see if he's guilty. It should be fine though since we won't come back with a solution."  
  
"Okay. Did he say why your dad is going?"  
  
"Not really. He kind of eluded to the fact that my dad was kind of down lately, and that a mission might give him some excitement, something like that…." She trailed off. "Anyway, we leave tomorrow evening."  
  
"Okay. Well, then I guess the next time I see you, your dad will be accompanying you?"  
  
"Yeah…I was thinking about that. Maybe I could come a little bit earlier, so you and me could just be alone for a while?" she said hesitantly. "I mean, I'd have to leave early for a class anyway."  
  
Vaughn looked over at her. "Yeah, I think that'd be nice." He said softly before leaning in for a kiss. He didn't want it to get out of control again though, so he pulled back quickly, earning a frown from Sydney. She understood though.  
  
"I should probably go." She said, standing up.  
  
Vaughn stood up too. "Yeah, probably." He kissed her one more time, before she turned to leave.  
  
He didn't know how he was going to face Mr. Bristow tomorrow. As if the man didn't terrify him enough already. He knew that he was going to see right through him, and that would not be a good thing, he just hoped that Sydney wouldn't let her father's opinion guide her actions.  
  
  
  
To be continued…  
  
  
  
Thanks for all your support guys! I love your reviews and if you have any comments, please don't be afraid to let me know. I wasn't really sure about this chapter, so if you think that I made Vaughn too aggressive, or if any of the dialogue sounds weird, please don't be afraid to let me know, I appreciate anything that makes my stories better!! 


	4. Doubts

A/N: Thanks guys for all your reviews, I really appreciate them! I have some ideas for future chapters that I'm going to try and work out, so be patient, 'cause I don't exactly know what I'm going to write. Thanks!!  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Vaughn was standing in the warehouse, waiting for Sydney. She was supposed to come a half hour earlier than her dad, so they could have time to be alone. He heard footsteps behind him and turned around. He smiled when he saw her approaching him, wearing casual jeans and a sweater. She still looked gorgeous.  
  
"Hey." He walked right up to her and gave her a kiss.  
  
She didn't even bother saying hello. She returned the kiss, knowing that they didn't have much time until they'd have to prepare for her father to come.  
  
After several minutes of frantic groping, they parted, breathing heavily.  
  
"He'll be here soon." Sydney said, as both she and Vaughn sat back on crates, trying to catch their breath.  
  
"I know." Replied Vaughn shortly, still reeling from the intensity of their kiss.  
  
"So, were you going to brief me anytime soon?" she asked, amused at how calm he was trying to make himself appear.  
  
He looked over and glared at her, but his face betrayed his attempted anger and he broke into a smile.  
  
"Your enjoying this aren't you?" he asked.  
  
"And your not?" she retorted.  
  
He smiled again. He absolutely loved her wit, she had a smart mouth that probably got her in a lot of trouble, but then again, it probably got her out of trouble too.  
  
"Fine," he said, finally recovered, "mission. Where are you going again?" he joked.  
  
She lightly slapped him on the arm. "You think you're so funny don't you?"  
  
"Alright, alright. All you have to do is break into the safe at Hortzani's house and take pictures with this." He took out a small digital camera from his pocket and handed it to her. "Marshall gave you anything that you'll need to break into the safe?" she nodded. "Okay, then this should be easy. What you're really looking for is anything that is evidence of oil smuggling."  
  
"Okay, sounds good." Sydney replied, slipping the camera into her backpack.  
  
"Your dad should be here any minute." Vaughn said, trying to avoid thoughts of kissing her.  
  
"Yeah, I should probably be going, I have class." She wanted so badly to lean over and kiss him, but she wasn't sure she wanted to risk her dad walking in on them.  
  
As if on cue, Jack Bristow walked through the door of the warehouse, looking intimidating as always.  
  
"Hello Sydney." He said flatly.  
  
"Hi dad." She said. There was an awkward silence for a minute before Sydney spoke. "I've got to get to class." She said, beginning to walk away. She tried to avoid meeting Vaughn's eyes, for fear of getting lost in them, but she risked a glance, reassuring him that she would be careful so that he didn't have to warn her in front of her dad. "Bye." She said to both of them.  
  
"Goodbye Sydney." Jack said.  
  
Vaughn just nodded, not daring to speak.  
  
When Sydney had closed the door behind her, both men looked at each other.  
  
"Well, I uh..." Vaughn began. "I briefed Sydney on the mission. It's fairly simple. I gave her the digital camera that you will use to take pictures of any suspicious documents, and you will just have to explain to Sloane that the liquid wasn't there, and convince him that he had false information."  
  
"Sounds simple enough." Jack replied.  
  
"It is, and you and Sydney shouldn't run into any trouble. SD-6 has briefed you on all of the security that you may run into, so there is no need for me to go over any of that with you."  
  
"Okay." Jack replied stoically.  
  
Vaughn let out a deep breath, hoping that he was out of the woods and that Jack would just leave.  
  
"Do you have any questions?" Vaughn asked.  
  
"Yes, just one." He paused. "Do you have any idea what you are getting yourself into?"  
  
"What?" Vaughn asked, starting to get terrified again.  
  
"For an intelligence agent, you sure aren't very good at hiding your emotions." Jack replied.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Vaughn said, trying to be convincing.  
  
Jack came closer. "I'm just warning you that nothing can ever happen between you and Sydney, no matter what you might feel for her. You are CIA, she is SD-6. And don't think that for one second that I'm worried about what SD-6, or even CIA for that matter, will do to you, my sole concern lies with Sydney. You are obviously not thinking of the danger that you are putting her in. So I suggest that whatever feelings you may have for Sydney, you either put aside, or resign as Sydney's handler, because if you don't, I'll do it for you." And with that, Jack walked out of the warehouse leaving agent Vaughn standing, absolutely stunned.  
  
***  
  
Sydney sat on the plane next to her father, trying to decide how to attack a certain subject with him. She decided on the casual approach.  
  
"So how did your meeting with Vaughn go?" she asked, trying to seem like it was just an offhand question.  
  
"Fine, why?"  
  
"Just wondering. I couldn't remember if you had met with him before."  
  
"Yes, I had. You knew that." He replied curtly.  
  
"Oh, right."  
  
Jack looked at her incredulously. "Sydney, I'm going to tell you the same think that I told agent Vaughn this afternoon."  
  
Sydney snapped her head up. "What?" she asked, surprised.  
  
"Sydney, you are a very perceptive person, and I'm sure that you have picked up on the fact that Agent Vaughn obviously has feelings for you, if he hasn't told you himself."  
  
"What are you talking about." Sydney asked, trying to be convincing.  
  
"All I'm going to say is that it is too dangerous. You are smarter than to let your emotions cloud your judgment, and I know that you won't let this little infatuation that Mr. Vaughn has for you get in the way of your work. I've already told him that he needs to either put his feelings aside, or resign as your handler."  
  
"You what?" Sydney asked, terrified of what Vaughn was thinking right now.  
  
"I told him that this situation is too dangerous, it must be rectified immediately." Jack looked over at her, surprised at the emotions that were running through her eyes. "Sydney." He said, trying to tear her away from her thoughts. "This shouldn't matter to you. Whatever little crush he has on you shouldn't have even gotten this far. If he was half the agent he should be, it wouldn't have." He was trying to test her, to see her reaction to this comment. He was pleased at the reaction that he found.  
  
Sydney knew that her father was trying to trick her, she'd played these games before. "You're right." She said simply. "I just have one question." She stated.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"How did you know…?" she asked, "that Vaughn had feelings for me."  
  
"Are you kidding? You could see it in his eyes from a mile away. He lets his emotions show too much. I knew from the second I walked in there." Jack replied, having no idea what his comment would do to Sydney.  
  
She frowned for a second, and then turned away from her father, pretending to look out the window. When she knew that he couldn't see her, she broke out into a huge smile. Vaughn really liked her. She couldn't believe that her dad could see it in his eyes. After the feeling of happiness wore off, however, it was replaced by worry and doubt. Did her father's comments have an effect on Vaughn? She hoped to God that he wouldn't let her father's opinion or threat scare him into resigning as her handler. She didn't think she could deal with that. The rest of the plane ride she was plagued with worry over what Vaughn was thinking. She couldn't wait to get home and make sure that her dad hadn't ruined everything.  
  
To be continued…  
  
  
  
Thanks for all your great reviews guys! I have a lot more to come, just not enough time to write, but I promise them soon! 


	5. Truth

A/N: I had more time than I expected, so I'm writing this now…I hope to have more soon too. Thanks for all your reviews!!!  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Will paced around his house, frantically trying to process the information he had just gotten. His cell phone had rung about five minutes ago.  
  
"Will Tippin." He answered.  
  
"You can't drop the story." The scrambled voice on the other line stated.  
  
Will was familiar with these calls and this voice by now.  
  
"I have to. It's not safe anymore. I can't risk it."  
  
"You have to." Said the creepy voice.  
  
"Listen," said Will, "They've threatened my family and my friends, I can't risk it. If anything happened to my parents or Sydney…" Will trailed off.  
  
"Sydney Bristow," said the voice, "is a piece of the puzzle."  
  
"What? I know I've never mentioned Sydney before, how do you know who she is?" Will questioned with a mixture of panic and anger.  
  
"Sydney Bristow, Kate Jones, Eloise Kurtz. They are all the same." Said the voice.  
  
"How are they the same? Because they are all women? This doesn't make sense."  
  
"Sydney Bristow, Kate Jones, Eloise Kurtz." Repeated the voice. "They are all your link to SD-6."  
  
"Is Sydney in trouble? What is SD-6? Please. You have to tell me if Sydney is in trouble." Will begged, but the line was already dead.  
  
Will was starting to get very anxious. He knew that he shouldn't, but he had to find out. If Sydney was in trouble, he had to help her.  
  
He got into his car and went over to her house. He knew that she was on a business trip, and wouldn't be back until later that day.  
  
He walked up the pathway and knocked on the door, trying to see if Francie was home.  
  
"Francie?" Will shouted. "Francie, are you there?"  
  
When he received no reply, he took out the spare key that he had and opened the door. He walked inside, and checked around to make sure that no one was there before going into Sydney's bedroom.  
  
The room was neat, obviously she had cleaned before she left. He didn't even know where to begin. He started in her closet. He opened the doors and looked around for anything out of the ordinary, but finding nothing, he moved over to her desk. He shuffled around some of her school papers, before walking to the other side of the room. There was a suitcase on the floor, which he thought was odd, since Sydney was on a trip. He opened up the suitcase, but it was empty. When he closed the top, something shiny caught his eye. It was the nametag on her suitcase. He didn't really think much of it, and he sat down on the ground, still fingering the nameplate. He couldn't believe how sneaky he was being. He was breaking Sydney's trust by snooping around, all because some creepy voice had said her name. His strange informant was probably just trying to make him squirm. He looked down at his hands, which were still holding the tag. He did a double take, and looked at it more clearly.  
  
"Kate Jones." It read.  
  
'What?' Will thought to himself. He had no idea what was going on. Was his source right? Was Sydney really Kate. If so, then where did Eloise Kurtz come in? Then something clicked in his head, and he finally understood. He just needed some questions to be answered. As if on cue, the front door opened. Will ripped the nametag off of the suitcase and walked angrily into the living room.  
  
Sydney was just walking into the door. She was exhausted from flying all day, and all she wanted to do was take a bath, and then go see Vaughn. She was startled to see Will walking towards her, but she recovered quickly.  
  
"Hey Will." She said cheerfully. "What are you doing here?" when she received only a glare from Will, she questioned him. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah, just a little confused." Will said, almost eerily. "Care to explain to me just what the hell this is?" Will raised his voice as he slammed the nametag into Sydney's hand.  
  
Sydney's heart sunk, and her stomach bottomed out. She could not think of a single thing to say. "Whe—Wha—Why—" was all she could get out.  
  
"That's okay, you see, that you can't answer, because I already figured it out. Your Sydney Bristow," Will started, speaking condescendingly, "maybe," he added. "But your also Kate Jones, which would explain why Eloise Kurtz had to play Kate Jones when she came to meet me, because the real Kate Jones, who died seven years ago, is now you." He finished. "Did I get that right?"  
  
Sydney couldn't say anything. She thought that maybe she should apologize, but she didn't even know where to begin. "Will—" she started, but he cut her off.  
  
"As I said earlier, I have a few questions." He began. Sydney just nodded her head. "First, why are you both Sydney and Kate? Second, why all the lying? And last, what is SD-6, and what do you have to do with it."  
  
The first two questions Sydney expected, but the third just blew her away.  
  
"Wh-What?" she stammered. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
"What do you have to do with SD-6?" Will said again, but he had softened somewhat. "I don't even know what it is, all I know is that its not something good, and you have something to do with it. And so do Kate Jones and Eloise Kurtz."  
  
Sydney knew that she had no choice now but to tell him. She couldn't even think up any good lies now, and he wouldn't believe any of it anyway. So she told him.  
  
"Okay, I'll tell you. And this is so hard for me, so please don't interrupt." Sydney began, looking down at her hands. "SD-6 is an agency, of sorts. I work for them, not a bank. Freshman year, I was recruited for them, to work. They told me that I was going to be working for the CIA. I trained and worked, and became an agent. The business trips that I go on are missions for SD-6. Last year, I found out that SD-6 wasn't part of the CIA, but a separate agency, part of an alliance, and alliance that I thought I was fighting against. I thought I was working for my country, but really, I was working against it. I went to the CIA, and now I'm a double agent for the CIA. My main priority is to take down SD-6, by gathering enough information so that the CIA can shut them down. Kate Jones is one of my aliases. Eloise Kurtz was an agent told to play her." Sydney finally looked up.  
  
Will was stunned, he couldn't believe what Sydney had just told him. Words like 'double agent' and 'missions' were floating through his head.  
  
"I can't believe this." Will said.  
  
"I know, it's a lot to take, and there are a lot of thinks that have to be done no that you know. But— "  
  
Will cut her off again. "I just have one more question."  
  
"Okay." Sydney said.  
  
"How did you find out that SD-6 wasn't a part of the CIA?"  
  
Sydney's eyes immediately welled up. "That was the last thing. Right after Danny proposed, I told him what I told you, well, before the CIA came in. I told him that I was a CIA agent. I didn't want to start off my marriage with a lie, and SD-6 found out and…" Sydney trailed off, tears running down her face. "I tried to get out of SD-6, but they told me that they'd kill me, so I became a double agent."  
  
Will had gone from shocked, to sad, to furious all at once.  
  
"SD-6 killed Danny." Will said. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. "SD-6 killed Danny because you're their agent. Danny died because of you." He said, looking right at her.  
  
Sydney started to sob, and attempted to take Will's hand. "I'm so sorry." She said, unable to control her voice. "Please, I didn't want any of this to happen."  
  
Will pulled away from her and stood up. "Everything makes sense now. I can't believe this. Danny. You. I have to leave." Will started to walk away.  
  
"Will no!" Sydney shouted after him. "You can't leave, it's too dangerous."  
  
Will just shrugged her off and got into his car. He pulled away and drove off.  
  
Sydney closed the door to her house, and fell to the floor sobbing. She couldn't believe that Will had said that Danny was dead because of her. It had taken her so long to believe that it wasn't true, but if Will thought it too… Vaughn. She had to see Vaughn. She couldn't lose another one of her friends because of her own carelessness.  
  
***  
  
Sydney walked into the warehouse a half an hour later. She was still shaking from her encounter with Will, her face red from crying.  
  
Without even seeing her face, Vaughn knew that something was wrong just by the way she was breathing.  
  
Wordlessly, Vaughn walked up to her and took her into his arms. She sobbed fully, not keeping anything in. Vaughn hugged her tighter, trying to absorb her pain. He was terrified. He didn't know what was wrong, and that scared him beyond belief. He had never seen her this upset.  
  
Sydney finally began to calm down and she sank down on to a crate, utterly spent.  
  
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Vaughn finally asked her "What happened?"  
  
The tenderness of his voice, mixed with the love and concern in his eyes almost made Sydney forget what a mess her life was. Almost.  
  
"Will." She stated. "He found a nametag of mine that said Kate Jones on it."  
  
"Oh." Said Vaughn, already knowing where this was heading.  
  
"I don't know how he did it. He put everything together. All the pieces that he could at least. So I told him." She expected Vaughn to yell at her, or be disappointed or do anything, but all he did was nod, understandingly, and urged her to go on. "I told him everything. I told him what SD-6 was. I told him what I do there. I told him that there was no bank, no business trips, only stealing, fighting and killing. I told him about the CIA. Everything. And finally, he asked about Danny, and I told him. I told him what SD-6 did to him."  
  
Vaughn nodded again, hating to see Sydney in such pain. "What did he say?"  
  
"It was awful." Sydney said, starting to cry again. "I could see him mentally putting everything together, and then he just starting yelling. He told me that Danny was dead because of me, and then he drove off, and I couldn't warn him."  
  
Vaughn had turned from feeling for Sydney, to wanting to strangle Will. How could be so insensitive? Didn't he know Sydney at all? Sydney loved Danny, and Vaughn finally thought that she was getting over that fact that she couldn't have done anything to save Danny, she could only make sure that it doesn't happen again.  
  
Sydney collapsed into his arms again, shaking with sobs. He tried to soothe her, rubbing her back and repeating, "It's not your fault" into her ear. She finally stopped crying and gained enough composure to sit up.  
  
"I have to make sure that nothing happens to Will. I can't lose another person to SD-6. I won't." she said this with such conviction, that Vaughn overlooked his anger at Will in order to protect Sydney.  
  
He pulled her back into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry," he said gently, "I'm not going to let anything happen to Will, or anyone else." He assured her.  
  
"Thank you." She said softly, holding on to Vaughn even tighter.  
  
To be continued…  
  
Ahh…my fingers hurt. I have a lot more to write, and I promise to do it soon. Thanks for sticking with this everyone!! Thanks for all your reviews!! 


	6. Questions

A/N: Thanks to all of you who have been reviewing, but I'm getting kind worried because the reviews have kind of tapered off, and I don't know if it's because my story is going down, or if people aren't reading it. So…even if you hate it, could you pleeeeeaaase review just so I know what to do next??? Thanks for listening to me complain…happy reading!  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Sydney padded around her house, not able to sit still. She couldn't concentrate on anything, knowing that Will was in danger. Anything could have happened to him. She couldn't believe that she had been so careless in telling him. Sure, her apartment had been swept for bugs, but one could have been missed, or Will might try to call her and leave a message like Danny did. She was driving herself insane just waiting, but she didn't know what else to do.  
  
Vaughn told her that as soon as she saw or heard from him, that she should bring him to the warehouse, and then call him, and she intended to do exactly that.  
  
There was a knock on the door, and Sydney practically ran to answer it. She flung open the door to reveal Will standing on her porch. Without even a 'hello' she grabbed his hand and pulled towards her SUV.  
  
"What the? Sydney what are you doing?" Will stammered.  
  
"Come on, we have to go, it's not safe here." Sydney replied curtly.  
  
She shoved him into the car and sped off to the warehouse. They remained silent during the ride, only breaking the silence when they pulled up to the warehouse.  
  
"Sydney, where are we?" Will asked timidly.  
  
Without answering, she got out of the car, motioning for him to do the same. When he didn't, she opened his door and said "Come on!"  
  
They walked into the warehouse, and Sydney immediately pulled out her cell phone that the CIA had given her.  
  
"Who are you calling?" Will asked.  
  
Sydney punched a number into the phone without answering Will. After only one ring, Vaughn answered.  
  
"Vaughn." He said  
  
"Hey, it's Sydney, I'm at the warehouse, Will's with me." She said quickly.  
  
"I'm on my way." He replied, hanging up.  
  
"Who was that?" Will asked, growing impatient with Sydney's refusal to answer his questions.  
  
"Will you please stop asking questions? Just wait okay? Quietly." She said, raising her voice.  
  
Will was taken aback, and simply muttered "okay."  
  
A few minutes later, Vaughn walked through the door of the warehouse and over to where Sydney and Will were. He immediately noticed the awkwardness between them, as well as the death glare that Will shot at him. He ignored it, and walked over to Sydney. He wasn't sure if he could kiss her or hug her or anything in front of Will, but he decided not to, so that Sydney wouldn't have to answer any additional questions to Will.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just brought him here like you said, I don't really know what to do now." She said, half relieved, but still half nervous.  
  
"It's okay, I'll take care of it. I've already figured out what we're going to do." Vaughn replied coolly, motioning for Sydney to take a seat on a crate. He walked up to Will and extended his hand.  
  
"Hi, I'm Michael Vaughn, Sydney's CIA case handler." He said, not really wanting to get into anything more.  
  
Will accepted his hand and shook it, introducing himself. "Will Tippin." He said.  
  
"Okay, Will, I know that you probably have a lot of questions for Sydney or myself, but that'll have to wait until later, when we can make sure that your safe. We're going to take you to the safe house downtown for a few days, just to make sure that there weren't any SD-6 bugs in Sydney's house that we were unaware of that may have heard your conversation. Once your there, Sydney can visit you, and hopefully you can go home within a few days. We don't think that there will be any complications as long as you're careful. Danny's big mistake was calling and leaving a message on the answering machine. SD-6 undoubtedly has your phone lines tapped, so it's very important that you don't speak about anything other than trivial things on the phone." He said trying to emphasize that point for Sydney's benefit. He looked over at her, to see how she would react to all of this, including his mention of Danny, but she just looked right back at him, nodding him to go on.  
  
"Okay," he continued, "I'll take Will to the safe house now, and Sydney, I'll call you when you can come and see him. Once we're sure that SD-6 has no idea about your conversation yesterday, everything should go back to normal, well, minus the article on SD-6 that is." He looked over at Will. "Some agents will question when we get to the safe house, and then brief you on everything you need to know as far as what you can and cannot do or talk about in public etc. They'll also answer any questions you have, or you can wait until you see Sydney or myself to ask any questions." Vaughn finished.  
  
Will was just trying to process all of this. He wasn't exactly sure how he felt about being in a 'safe house' for a few days, or dropping his story, or being told what he can and cannot talk about. But he cooperated, for Sydney's benefit.  
  
Vaughn ushered Will outside and into his car and told him to wait. He then returned to the warehouse. He walked up to Sydney.  
  
"Are you sure that you're okay?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little anxious, but really relieved that he's okay." She said.  
  
She leaned in, and wrapped her arms around his middle.  
  
"Thank you," She said, "for everything."  
  
"Your welcome." He answered, giving her a squeeze, and then releasing her. "I'll call you when you should come."  
  
"Okay." She said.  
  
Vaughn walked out of the warehouse and got into his car, praying that Will wouldn't ask any questions about he and Sydney during the ride.  
  
***  
  
"Joey's Pizza?"  
  
"Wrong number." Sydney said into the phone. She got up and gathered her purse and coat, and went out to her car ready to go and see Will at the safe house. When she arrived, he was sitting on the couch, and Vaughn was in the makeshift kitchen talking on his phone. Her questioning eyes met his reassuring ones, and she immediately felt better. She gave him a half- smile, and he returned it before she turned around to talk to Will.  
  
"So," she started, not really sure what to say, "what do you think of your new home for the next few days?" she attempted lightly.  
  
He looked around him, "It's okay." He said simply, not returning her joke.  
  
They sat in silence for a few moments before Vaughn came over. "I'm going to go, but I'll be in touch with you later." He said, looking at Sydney. "Bye."  
  
"Okay, bye." She responded. She really wanted him to lean down and kiss her goodbye, but she knew that he wouldn't do that, especially with Will sitting right there, and the cameras behind the screening mirror may be on.  
  
Almost as if reading her thoughts, he told her "I'll have them turn off the cameras and clear out so that you two can have some privacy." He said, meeting Sydney's eyes.  
  
"Thanks." She responded, trying to reassure him that she did indeed realize how great he was being. She watched him walk out the door, and then turned back to Will.  
  
She had no idea where to begin. She didn't know how he was feeling either. It was horrible not being able to even talk to your best friend. "So do you have any questions or anything?" she asked.  
  
"Not really. The other people—agents—answered them all I think." He said. "I'm just kind of putting everything together in my head."  
  
"Like what?" she asked.  
  
"Like the mysterious business trips, and the ridiculous 'job', and all of the hundreds of weird things that I didn't think I remembered over the years. They're all finally surfacing, all coming together."  
  
"Oh." Was all she could answer. "So are you okay with all of this? I mean, me doing what I do, and us not being able to talk about it, and all that other stuff?"  
  
"Yeah," he said, "I mean I guess so, I have to be. It'll be weird getting used to it, but if it makes you happy, and if you like doing what you do, then I'm okay. I mean, from what these guys around here were saying, you're really good at it." He said. Sydney just smiled a little.  
  
"It does make you happy, doesn't it?" Will asked tentatively.  
  
"Well, yes and no. It used to, when I was just with SD-6 and thought that I was doing the right thing, helping my country, but now that I'm trying to bring them down, it's just getting harder and harder. Everyday there seems to be just another obstacle getting in my way." She trailed off. "But there's nothing compared to the rush when I'm on assignment, its incredible." She smiled, almost nostalgically.  
  
Will smiled also. "So what's the deal with this Michael guy?" Will asked quickly.  
  
"What? You mean Vaughn?"  
  
"Yeah." Will replied.  
  
"What about him?" Sydney asked, feigning confusion.  
  
"Do you like him? I mean, 'cause it kind of seemed like you do." Will said.  
  
"No, well yeah, well, it's kind of hard to be in a relationship with someone who your not even supposed to know." She stammered, not really answering his question.  
  
"Well, are you trying to have a relationship with him?" Will asked, not dropping the subject.  
  
"Umm, kind of. But it's not really something that we can talk about or anything." Sydney wished that he would just let it go.  
  
"Do you think that that's smart? I mean, what if SD-6 found out? He's CIA, and your supposed to be SD-6." Will said, pleased with himself that he sounded like he knew what he was talking about.  
  
"Well, I know, we just are kind of taking it slow, nothing can really happen until SD-6 is shut down anyway." Sydney said, pleased with her answer, hoping that it sounded like she and Vaughn had talked about this or something. She knew that she shouldn't really care, but she didn't want Will thinking that she had jumped into a relationship irresponsibly.  
  
"But what about in the mean time? SD-6 could find out and kill you," Will said, then adding "or him," for emphasis. "I'm sure you've thought about all these things, and you don't have to listen to me by any means, but don't you think that you should just put things with him on hold for a while. You know, separate business from personal?"  
  
Sydney didn't respond, and Will was pleased that it seemed he had gotten through to her. He didn't want her getting involved with anyone, especially someone who knew more of her secrets than he did, or at least until now. He hoped that maybe the only thing holding Sydney back from entering into a relationship with him was her job, and now that he knew the truth, she would feel comfortable. He had to make her believe, though, that a relationship with Vaughn was too dangerous to pursue.  
  
"I better get going." Sydney said, trying not to show Will how much his comment affected her. "If you need anything, there are agents in the hall out there, or you can call me." She said. "But not at home. Did they give you my CIA cell number?" Sydney asked.  
  
"Yeah." Will nodded.  
  
"Okay." She said. "I'll see you later then." She reached down and gave him a quick hug before leaving.  
  
To be continued….  
  
I hoped you liked this part. More S/V stuff coming up and more action. I know that the last few parts have been kind of dull. Thanks for reading!!! 


	7. Love

A/N: Thanks for all of your awesome reviews! You guys rock!!! Thanks so much for all of your support and kind words…I hope that you like this next part!  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Sydney's mind was a mess. She had no idea what to think or what to do. Will's words were burned into her mind…into her heart. Of course she'd thought of the consequences of having a relationship with Vaughn, and she knew that it'd be dangerous, but to here somebody else say it—Vaughn could be killed—just made it seem real. She knew that there was no way she could handle another person that she loved being taken away from her.  
  
Sydney's thoughts were distracted by her pager going off. She had to go to work. She had to go to SD-6. She had to go to the work for the people who would kill the man that she loved it they knew he existed.  
  
***  
  
Sydney walked into Credit Dauphin and into the conference room. Sloane was standing at the front of the room, and around the table, Marshall, Dixon and her father were seated.  
  
"Hello Sydney." Sloane said in his creepy way.  
  
"Hi." She muttered as she sat down next to Dixon.  
  
"Well, it seems as if the intel that we got about the supposed '2nd liquid' was false. That's why we've been getting nowhere with it. I've decided that it is in the best interest for SD-6 to end the search for it. We have a new mission. An invention of Rambaldi's had been rumored to be hidden in the underground vault of his 5th great-grandson in Rome. Since this heir is deceased and has no heirs of his own, the grandson's uncles have seized the property. No one knows what this invention is, and it is just a rumor, but whatever it is, it needs an underground vault so it will be a valuable asset to us. Sydney, you and Dixon are to retrieve the invention." Slone finished.  
  
"Okay." Sydney said, not really wanting to be in Rome again.  
  
Sloane went on to explain the details of the mission and Marshall gave his speech about whatever strange tools they'd need to break into the vault. Sydney tried to pay attention, but her mind was elsewhere.  
  
***  
  
Vaughn sat on a crate in the warehouse, waiting for Sydney. He knew that she had a new mission and that she was expecting a counter mission, but all he wanted to do was see her face, and kiss her senseless. He hadn't seen her since the day at the safe house, and he really did want to know how her talk with Will went. He loved hearing her talk, even if it was about Will. Everything she said, she said with such passion and conviction, and he loved it. Hell, he loved everything about her. He was still a little terrified of her dad, but Jack didn't know that they were being careful, and that he did think about the dangers of their relationship. He would never let anything happen to Sydney, he loved her too much.  
  
So lost in his thoughts, Vaughn didn't hear Sydney come in until she cleared her throat.  
  
"Hi." He said, walking up to her.  
  
"Hi." She said softly, not meeting his eyes.  
  
He got closer to her and leaned in to kiss her, but she pulled away.  
  
"Maybe we should just talk." Sydney said, trying not to cry. She knew that Vaughn would see right through her, but she couldn't kiss him now, knowing that she may not be able to do it again, she would never want to stop.  
  
"What's wrong?" He asked.  
  
"Nothing, I just think we should talk about my counter mission." She replied.  
  
"Is everything okay?" he asked, growing more concerned.  
  
"Yes. I'm fine." She said more forcefully. "Counter mission?"  
  
"Okay…" he said, not really wanting to drop the subject, but knowing that he wasn't going to get anywhere. "Well, since we don't know what the invention it, we can't really make a switch with a fake, so whatever you find in the vault, take pictures of, and give it to SD-6. Whatever information they get on it, just leak to us, and we'll go from there." He handed her a small digital camera.  
  
"Okay." She said, really wanting to go, and talk to him later, even if it was being unfair to him.  
  
"Is this about your dad? Did he say something to you?" Vaughn asked.  
  
"What? No. I mean yes, he said something to me, but it doesn't matter." Sydney said, kind of caught off guard.  
  
"Sydney," he said, taking a step closer to her, "You shouldn't care what he thinks. I don't. I know he's your father, but—"  
  
Sydney cut him off. "No, it doesn't have anything to do with him."  
  
"Then what is it?" Vaughn asked. "Why wouldn't you kiss me?"  
  
His eyes looked so sad, and she knew that she was hurting him but she thought she was doing what was best for him, and herself. "I just think that we should separate work from out relationship. You know, business from personal?"  
  
"What are you talking about? You haven't had a problem before." Vaughn asked.  
  
"I know, but maybe we should just wait until SD-6 is gone. I mean, everything is suffering, something has to go."  
  
"What? What is suffering? Are you trying to break up with me?" Vaughn asked, half angry, half panicky.  
  
"No, I just think that we have to figure something out. Like times to meet for business and times to meet for—"  
  
This time, Vaughn cut her off. "Sydney! Love isn't about structure and organization! It's about doing what you feel and not what others tell you! You can't control everything in your life, however much you want to, and you definitely can't control love!" Vaughn said, trying to make her see his point.  
  
"Love?" Sydney asked, focusing on that point of his speech more than anything else.  
  
"Yeah," he said, smiling softly. He walked up to her and put his hands on her arms, "Love."  
  
Sydney had tears in her eyes as he said that. "It's just so hard." She said softly, looking into his eyes.  
  
"I know, but I also know that we can make it work. If I want to kiss you, but you don't want to, that's okay, just tell me. And if this gets to intense, we'll stop. No big deal. I just know that I can't wait until SD- 6 is gone to be with you. I love you too much." He said.  
  
"I love you too." She said, leaning up to kiss him softly on the lips. "I know we can get through this, I just," she stumbled, "I just don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."  
  
"Nothing's going to happen to me. We'll be careful. I mean, nothing's happened so far and I'm still here. As long as we don't do anything different, we'll both be fine." He said, trying to reassure her. "Well, some things different." He said, cracking a smile.  
  
"Yeah," she repeated, "Some things different." She returned his smile, and leaned up to kiss him again, but this time, deeper, filled with passion and love from their recent confessions.  
  
They pulled apart, but stayed in their embrace. Sydney leaned her head on Vaughn's shoulder, pulling him closer to her, never wanting to let him go.  
  
To be continued…  
  
I know that this one was kind of short, but the next one is going to come really soon (maybe tonight) because I already have the idea in my head, but there really needed to be a new chapter because it's going to be a totally different type thing kind of. Sorry for all of you craving drama, I know that this one was sappy, but it needed to be done, the next chapter will (hopefully) be action packed. Thanks for reading, and please review (even if you hated it) just so I know that people are reading…it's a nice feeling!! 


	8. Mission

A/N: Okay guys, I said that this one would be out quickly! Not much to say, I'm going to try some action in this one…I hope you like it.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
"Vaughn." Weiss walked into Vaughn's office.  
  
"Yeah?" he asked.  
  
"Devlin wants to see you in his office—now." He said.  
  
"Did he say why?" Vaughn asked, getting worried that Jack had followed through on his threat.  
  
"No, just that he wants to see us now." He repeated.  
  
"Us? Like, both of us?" Vaughn asked. Knowing that Devlin wouldn't want to see Weiss if he was going to talk to him about Sydney.  
  
"That's what I said. Come on!" Weiss said, walking out the door.  
  
The two walked down the hall and into Devlin's office.  
  
"Gentlemen, sit down." He motioned for them to sit at the chairs on the other side of his desk.  
  
"I just got some bad news." He said, pausing. "I've just been informed that the Rambaldi vault is armed much heavier than we thought. We didn't think that it would be since it is on a private residence, but these 'uncles' actually belong to some sort of mafia and there will be far too many of them for Bristow and Dixon to go in without back up, especially since they aren't expecting it." Devlin informed them.  
  
"So what's the plan?" Weiss asked.  
  
"There isn't enough time to fake intel or anything to inform SD-6 about this change, so they can send their own agents, and I can't risk two of my doubles. So, you two, and a field agent will meet them there, and help them deal with the guards. As you know, Bristow is pretending to be a guest at the large party, with Dixon as her driver. Vaughn, you will also be posing as a guest, and Weiss, you and Morrison, the field agent, will be outside of the party, waiting until you see that they need back up."  
  
"Okay." Vaughn said. He could hardly believe it. He was going to go on a mission with Sydney. A real mission. He couldn't wait.  
  
"Go down to tech and they have equipment for you, as well as earpieces for Bristow and Dixon." Devlin said. "Bristow and Dixon have already left, so there is no time to inform them of the switch. As soon as you see Bristow in the house, Vaughn, give her the earpiece and tell her what is going on. Weiss, you'll see Dixon outside in a black Mercedes, inform him of the changes as well." They both nodded.  
  
"You leave in 4 hours for Rome, so get whatever you need and go to the airport. Good luck." Devlin said as Vaughn and Weiss walked out of the office.  
  
"Man, this rocks!" said Weiss. "I miss going out in the field so much! This is going to be awesome."  
  
"I know. I can't believe Devlin is sending us." Vaughn said, still almost in a daze about working with Sydney.  
  
"Hey." Said Weiss, elbowing him in the side. "You better not lose your concentration like that when we're out there, 'cause that'll definitely be your last field mission."  
  
"Yeah…" Vaughn said. He knew that Weiss was kidding, but he also knew that he was right. He had to stay focused. He couldn't screw this up, Vaughn thought as they walked into the elevator and down to the tech room. For Sydney's safety, and his own, he couldn't afford to have his mind clouded by emotion, and he couldn't do anything that might jeopardize the mission, or her cover.  
  
***  
  
Vaughn was attempting to sleep on the plane on the way to Rome, when Weiss asked him a question that he had been trying to avoid for weeks.  
  
"So, has anything happened with Sydney?" Weiss asked.  
  
"What?" Vaughn asked, feigning confusion.  
  
"You know, Sydney? Your agent? Remember, she kissed you, and you said you'd talk to her? Did anything happen?" Vaughn 'reminded' him.  
  
"Oh, right." Vaughn mumbled, thanking God that Morrison was sitting in a different section.  
  
"Well, did you tell her that you thought you should wait?" Weiss asked. When Vaughn cringed, Weiss knew that he didn't. "Oh." He said. Then, looking at the guilty expression on Vaughn's face, he realized exactly what happened. "Oh!" he repeated. Vaughn cringed again, knowing that Weiss had figured out at least part of what was going on.  
  
"So, what, are you guys going out? Well, staying in, I guess." Weiss joked.  
  
"Shut up." Vaughn said, trying to figure out if there was any way out of this situation.  
  
"Well…" Weiss tried to egg him on. "Come on, this is too scandalous to leave out details…you've gotta give me something." Weiss begged.  
  
"Shut up." Vaughn repeated, but was unable to resist. "We just kiss and stuff, in the warehouse."  
  
"Right…kiss and stuff in the hot, dark, solitary warehouse." Weiss teased.  
  
"Alright! There go all your detail privileges!" Vaughn announced.  
  
"Oh, come on man, I'm just kidding." He apologized. "So, I guess she feels the same way about you then."  
  
"Yeah…" Vaughn trailed off, no sure if he should tell Weiss or not. He knew that he could trust Weiss though, and he had to tell someone. "She told me that she loves me." He said.  
  
"What?" Weiss said, almost choking on his drink.  
  
"I told her that I loved her, and she said that she loved me too." Vaughn said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. He expected Weiss to come back with a joke, but instead he just smiled.  
  
"That's great man." He said, genuinely happy for his friend.  
  
"Thanks." Vaughn said, glad to have a friend he could trust.  
  
The rest of the flight they joked around and talked about hockey and other stuff, both too excited to be on a field mission to sleep.  
  
***  
  
Sydney wove her way through the mass of people at the Galansi mansion. Domenico Galansi was the grandson of Rambaldi that Sloane was talking about. She still had about half an hour until she the guards would change shifts and she would break into the vault. She was standing at the bar, waiting for her drink, when she heard a low voice coming from behind her.  
  
"Excuse me, madam, but would you do me the honor of accompanying me on the dance floor?"  
  
She turned around and couldn't believe her eyes. Standing right in front of her was none other than Michael Vaughn.  
  
"Of course." She covered up quickly for her initial shock, and let him guide her to the dance floor.  
  
Vaughn looked her up and down appreciatively. Her dress, although somewhat modest in the front, clung to her like a second skin, dipping low in the front, and then diving all the way down to the small of her back, where it pooled. The black dress skimmed the floor, and swirled around her when she walked. Her hair was curled loosely, and hung around her face, framing it perfectly. He knew that he must have looked like a vulture, but the sight of her took his breath away.  
  
When he looked back up at her eyes, he saw that she too, had been looking at him.  
  
After getting over the surprise of seeing him, she forgot even to ask why he was there, preferring to examine him in his tux. It was obviously made for him, and anyone could tell that underneath all those layers, was an incredible body. His hair was tousled, but almost neatly, giving him a very relaxed feeling. When her eyes had done their feasting, she looked at his eyes and saw the desire there that undoubtedly matched that in her own eyes.  
  
"You look so beautiful." He told her.  
  
She blushed and looked away from his stare. "What are you doing here?" she whispered into his ear as he gathered her in his arms.  
  
"Turns out that SD-6 had bad information. This place is guarded like a palace, and Devlin sent Weiss, another field agent, Morrison, and I to help you and Dixon out." He said quietly.  
  
"Oh, well, thanks for the help." She whispered into his ear again. He could feel her breath on his neck, and couldn't believe that she could make such a simple phrase sound so sexy.  
  
His hand on her back was radiating heat throughout her entire body. She felt so good pressed up against him, and couldn't help but want to be closer to him. She rested her head on his shoulder, and found herself facing his neck. She couldn't resist, so she lightly kissed his neck, just for a second, before pulling away.  
  
Vaughn groaned internally, and pressed his hand against her back, bringing her closer to him, flush with his body. It was so nice to be in such a big crowd, not having to worry about being spotted. He was so lost in the feel of her, that he almost forgot about the earpiece.  
  
"I have an earpiece for you." He said.  
  
"In your pocket?" she asked almost silently, for the first time remembering that he was probably wearing an earpiece too.  
  
He nodded, knowing where her mind was headed. Without hesitation, she reached down into his front pants pocket, and felt around for the earpiece. Vaughn sucked in his breath, and only exhaled when she pulled out the earpiece.  
  
"Thanks." She said, pretending to scratch her ear, and put the earpiece in. Almost immediately, she heard Weiss's voice in her ear.  
  
"Hey Syd. I thought that my buddy Vaughn had forgotten to give you the piece." Weiss said, knowing exactly what was going on.  
  
"No, he remembered." Sydney said, frowning slightly now that she knew someone was listening to them, and she couldn't really flirt with Vaughn anymore.  
  
Vaughn knew what she was thinking, and reassured her. "He knows." Vaughn mouthed to her.  
  
Sydney looked confused for a minute, but then dismissed it. "Hey Weiss. Who else is out there with you?" she asked.  
  
"No one, just me. Morrison is checking the perimeter. And he doesn't have an earpiece." Weiss added, knowing where her mind was going.  
  
"Oh, that's nice." Sydney said sweetly. With this information, she leaned in and kissed Vaughn hard on the lips, not pulling back until they needed oxygen.  
  
"I have been wanting to do that since I first saw you tonight." She breathed.  
  
"Me too." He could barely speak from the intensity of the kiss. They just looked into each other's eyes for a moment until Weiss interrupted their moment.  
  
"Hey. If you too are done acting like teenagers at a high school dance, then I suggest that you get ready for the mission, since you only have five minutes until the guards change."  
  
Both totally sobered, they began to mentally prepare themselves for their task at hand. Figuring that they'd just look like a couple who was going to go somewhere more private, Vaughn took Sydney's hand as they walked out onto the terrace. As soon as they were away from the crowd, however, they immediately walked faster, towards the side of the house where the entrance to the vault was.  
  
They were approaching the tool shed- looking hut that supposedly housed the entrance to the vault.  
  
"Hey!" a voice behind them said. "HEY!" it repeated.  
  
They stopped and turned around, hands still joint.  
  
The guard stood in front of them, gun in hand. "What are you doing back here?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." Sydney said sweetly. "We were just looking for a quieter place." She said in a hushed voice.  
  
The guard lowered his gun. "You have to go back inside."  
  
"Okay, no problem." She said as they began walking away. Suddenly, she turned around and kicked the gun out of the guard's hands. He lunged at her, but she kicked him again in the face, causing him to fall to the ground. She dug her elbow into the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious. She turned around, expecting to see praise from Vaughn, but during her fight, another guard had come, and Vaughn was now engaged in a battle with him. He had managed to wrestle his gun away from him, and despite the guard's size, Vaughn was definitely winning. Vaughn delivered a punch to the guard's face, making him stumble backwards. He took this opportunity to punch him again, causing him to fall to the ground. When the guard attempted to stand back up, Vaughn used the same move Sydney had, rendering the man unconscious.  
  
"Not bad." Sydney said, nodding her head in approval.  
  
"Thanks. You too." Vaughn said, walking over to her.  
  
Together, they walked over to the shed and entered. On the floor was a large trap door, and a staircase leading below ground. Right before they were about to enter, they heard a banging on the outside of the shed. To their relief, it was only Weiss.  
  
"Hey, Morrison and I have got you covered." Weiss shouted in at them.  
  
"Okay." Vaughn shouted back before following Sydney down the stairs.  
  
There was another door, and then a tunnel, leading to the vault door. Sydney opened the vault easily with the decoder that Marshall had given her. They entered the vault and looked around the room for anything that could contain the invention. There was an entire rack of machine guns on one wall, and another corner contained large metal objects that were obviously bombs.  
  
"I think we'll probably be back here for these in a few weeks." Vaughn joked.  
  
"Hey," called Sydney from the other end of the vault. "I think this might be it."  
  
She was looking at a medium sized metal box that had a strange symbol carved into it.  
  
"Find something to open it." She said.  
  
Vaughn left her side for a moment and came back with a crowbar that was in the vault. He started to pry open the box, and it took them several minutes to actually get it open. Suddenly, they heard gunshots from up above.  
  
"Weiss? You okay up there?" Vaughn asked when there was silence.  
  
"Yeah, we're fine. We saw them before they saw us."  
  
"Good." Vaughn replied.  
  
Together, Sydney and Vaughn lifted the top off of the box. Inside there was another, wooden box, with the same symbol on it that was on Rambaldi's journal. They pried open this box much quicker, and peered inside.  
  
"What the hell is that?" Sydney asked.  
  
"I have no idea." Vaughn replied, as he lifted it out of the box. "Get out the camera." He said.  
  
Sydney took the camera out of her purse and began taking pictures of the strange object. It was a structure made out of iron that was shaped in a circle, with large rings around it. It sat strait up because it had a flat bottom, and there was an opening in the iron structure allowing a person to see inside of it. Inside, there was a central, large round metal circle, and then attached but very thin metal poles were hundreds—maybe thousands—of smaller metal circles, arranged in a pattern. There was a piece at the bottom of the inside of the circle that looked like it belonged in a clock, making the object look mechanical.  
  
"It looks like a solar system." Vaughn commented. "Just not ours." He said in awe of the structure. "Did you get pictures of the inside?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah." She replied, equally as awed by the structure. "How can I possibly give this to Sloane? It's too incredible." she asked, feeling helpless.  
  
"I don't know, I hate the fact that you have to, but he'll find out that it's missing, and it's just too dangerous."  
  
"I know." She said sadly. "Come on, we should go." She said, putting the camera back into her purse, while Vaughn put the invention back into the box.  
  
They closed the vault and climbed back up to the shed.  
  
"Weiss, you out there?" Vaughn asked.  
  
"Yeah I'm here. What the hell took you so long! There are guards everywhere, and someone definitely heard the gunshots. I couldn't hear you on my earpiece with all the commotion going on, but if I find out that you were fooling around down there I'm gonna kick your ass." Weiss shouted from the outside of the shed.  
  
They rushed out of the shed, and over to the van that was parked down the street. Morrison and Weiss got in it, loading the box into the back.  
  
Vaughn started to get in the truck when he remembered the camera.  
  
"Oh, do you want to give me the camera?" he asked.  
  
"You're leaving in the morning too aren't you?" Vaughn nodded. "Where are you staying?" she asked quietly so the other two couldn't hear.  
  
"In the inn across the street from yours." He said, nervous about where she was going with this.  
  
"Well, then maybe I'll bring it by tonight." She said seductively, and with a quick look around the truck to make sure that the other guys were still on the other side, she gave Vaughn a deep kiss, with the promise of more to come, before heading away from the van to meet Dixon a couple blocks away.  
  
Vaughn stood there utterly frozen, not coming out of his daze until Weiss punched him in the arm.  
  
"Come on! We've got to go." He said, before getting in the van himself.  
  
***  
  
Sydney half walked, half ran down the street until she spotted Dixon's car. She slipped into the front, and Dixon pulled away.  
  
"So, did you have any problems?" he asked.  
  
"No, it was fine." She replied nonchalantly, her mind focused on Vaughn.  
  
"Good, good…" Dixon said. "So, you and Agent Vaughn huh?"  
  
This caught Sydney off guard. "What? How did you—" Sydney stammered, but she was cut off.  
  
"Weiss isn't the only one with an earpiece." Dixon said, smiling.  
  
Sydney was mortified, but Dixon reassured her. "Don't worry about it Syd, I think that this is just what you need." He said.  
  
"Thanks." She replied, still embarrassed, but touched at Dixon's words.  
  
They pulled up to the inn, and Dixon parked the car. They walked into the lobby, and began to go their different ways to their rooms.  
  
"Goodnight." She said.  
  
"Yeah, you too." He said, and she began to walk away. "And Syd?"  
  
"Yeah?" she asked.  
  
"Have fun tonight." He said slyly, winking at her, as she could feel her face turn a hundred shades of red. But she wouldn't let her embarrassment stop her. She went to her room to get ready for Vaughn. She wanted this night to be perfect for the man that she loved.  
  
***  
  
Vaughn nervously paced his room, waiting for Sydney. He didn't know when she was going to come, but he was getting really anxious. He was glad that he had a single room, and that Weiss and Morrison had agreed to share a room. And from the look that Weiss gave him before he went inside, he knew exactly what he was planning.  
  
Vaughn heard a soft knock on the door and went over to answer it. When he opened the door, Sydney was standing in his doorway, still dressed in her gown from the party, only this time, he knew that he'd get to see what was under it.  
  
"Have I told you tonight how absolutely beautiful you look?" Vaughn asked her in a soft voice, still taken away by her beauty.  
  
"Yes, but it's always nice to hear." She quipped back, smiling at him. "I brought the camera." She said, holding it up.  
  
"Thanks." He said, taking it from her. He set it on the table and then turned back to her. She was still smiling. He took a step closer to her and closed the distance between them. He leaned in to kiss her, and just barely brushed his lips against hers. He placed a hand on her cheek, and one at the small of her back, and pulled her lips towards him, kissing her deeper this time. She responded by wrapping her arms around his neck. He moved his hand from her cheek to her back, trying to bring her closer to him. He had already taken off his jacket and tie before she arrived, so she began to work on the buttons of his shirt. He leaned his head down and kissed her neck, moving lower to her collarbone, bushing the thin spaghetti strap of her dress down over her shoulder. He moved across her chest to the other side and kissed her collarbone and pushed the other strap down. She tilted her head to the side, allowing him better access, still attempting to unbutton his shirt. She tugged it free from his pants and pulled at the last few buttons before it was totally undone. She slid it off his shoulders and let it fall to the ground. She ran her fingers along his chest, admiring the details of it.  
  
He shimmied her dress down her body, until it got to her hips. She began to work on his pants as he sought out her lips. She undid his belt, but lost the coordination to both kiss and undress him at the same time. He finished for her, unzipping his pants and letting him fall to the ground. He then finished undressing her. He pulled her dress from her hips, the fabric stretching for a moment before falling to the ground, leaving them both only in their underwear.  
  
Sydney led him over to the bed and laid back, pulling him with her. They both fell onto the bed and divested each other of their remaining clothing. They joined together uttering 'I love yous' and calling out each other's names. As Sydney's climax seized her, she called out "Michael," and that gesture sent him over the edge as well.  
  
They both knew that the next morning they would have to get up, face the day, and part, pretending to be strangers, but nothing mattered. Nothing mattered to them except each other.  
  
To be continued…  
  
I know that this was long, and that the action sucked, but if you didn't like the writing, then I hoped you liked the plot of vise versa. I'm not really sure that I like this chapter, so if you have any suggestions on how I can make it better, please let me know, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks for reading!! 


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